The Best Stretch for Adding Years to Your Life, Trainers Reveal
Trainers say that hip openers can help you age more gracefully—literally. "Hip openers are stretches or movements that target the muscles around your hips, including the glutes, hip flexors, and inner thighs," explains Amanda Dvorak, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews. "They work to increase range of motion, reduce tightness and improve overall hip mobility."Lower-body stretching routines often focus on the quads, hamstrings and glutes. Yet, Chakoian shares that the hips serve critical functions.
Weak hips can make "second-nature" habits feel like epic chores. "When the hips get tight or weak, everyday activities like climbing stairs or getting out of a car can start to feel harder," Chakoian explains. "Basically, healthy hips make almost every movement smoother and more efficient."?SIGN UP for Parade’s health newsletter with expert-approved tips, healthy eats, exercises, news & more to help you stay healthy & feel your best self?
Become more mobile. Dvorak notes that hip openers boost mobility, "which makes bending, squatting and getting in and out of chairs easier."Reduce lower back pain. Back pain can increase along with the number of candles on our birthday cakes. However, Chakoian reports that hip openers can keep that "cost of aging" from becoming unnecessarily inflated because they take pressure off the spine.Improve your posture. A stronger posture can also help reduce pain. "Hip openers improve posture by loosening tight hip flexors that pull your body forward," Chakoian explains.Balance better. "Hip openers can even help with balance, because mobile hips give you a stronger foundation when standing or walking," Chakoian shares. Dvorak adds that this balance can protect you against falls, which people are more likely to experience as they age. The National Council on Aging reports that falls have non-fatal risks, like breaking bones, but can also, unfortunately, lead to death, making balance critical.Improve your circulation. Dvorak says that hip openers can support your circulation and eliminate stiffness, "making it easier to stay active throughout the day." When you stay active, you lower your risk of common chronic conditions in older adults, such as heart disease.
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3 Hip Flexor Stretches You Can Do Today
Dvorak loves this stretch, which engages the glutes and outer hips. "It's simple and effective for tight areas from sitting," she says. Here's how to do it:
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Cross your ankle over the opposite knee.Gently pull your uncrossed leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in the glutes.Hold 20 to 30 seconds per side.Repeat for two to three rounds.2. Low lunge
Step one foot forward into a lunge. Drop your back knee to the ground, and keep your chest lifted. ("You’ll feel the stretch in the front of your hip," Chakoian explains.) Hold for 30 to 45 seconds on each side.Repeat for two to three rounds.
3. Butterfly stretch
Dvorak explains that Butterfly stretch engages your inner thighs and hips, sharing, "It opens your hips without straining your knees or back."Here's how to do it:
Sit with the soles of your feet together and your knees out to the sides.Gently press your knees toward the floor, keeping your spine upright.Hold 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat for two to three rounds.Hip flexor stretches can improve your quality of life and even protect against (potentially fatal) issues like falls. However, sometimes, it's best to skip your daily hip flexor stretch. "Avoid hip openers if you’re dealing with a recent hip injury, joint replacement or inflammation like bursitis," Chakoian notes. "You also shouldn’t do them if you feel sharp pain instead of mild stretching."
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Sources:
Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and the owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGreeAmanda Dvorak, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews Get the Facts on Falls Prevention. National Council on Aging.Hence then, the article about this simple daily stretch could add years to your life trainers say was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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